Duterte says only Philippine court can send him to jail

October 29, 2018

President Rodrigo Duterte said only a Philippine court could send him to jail and not any other international court.

In a speech in Davao City on Sunday night, Duterte reiterated that the International Criminal Court where he is facing complaints for alleged crimes against humanity has no jurisdiction over him.

"I will only face the Philippine courts. If I have to be sent to jail I will do so. If a regular court in the Republic of the Philippines, I will gladly --- but let’s have a trial," he said.

Duterte said if ever, he would not honor the summons by the ICC.

"But for me to honor the summons of this and that --- and that short lady there, a black who has been announcing that they start their investigation, I said...if I see you, I'll slap you," Duterte said.

"Who are you to threaten me? What is your relevance? You have a court. It is a creation of the European Union. I do not even know the judges if they are judges at all, lawyers. If they have passed the bars?" he added.

A Filipino lawyer, with the alleged backing of opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, has filed a complaint before the ICC due to the thousands of drug suspects who have been killed in the government's war against illegal drugs. Celerina Monte/DMS